The NM State community has lost a legend. Former football standout Bob Jackson passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at the age of 84. Jackson was a key contributor during the Golden Era for the Aggie football program and will be remembered for his impact on and off the field.
Source: NMSU Athletics
As a member of the Aggie football program during arguably its greatest stretch in school history, Jackson left his mark by rushing for over 1,000 yards across two seasons.
After helping lead the Aggies to victory in the 1959 Sun Bowl in his first year donning Crimson & White, Jackson helped lead the Aggies to a perfect 11-0 record while serving as a key cog on the nation’s highest-scoring offense (35.8 points per game) in his second season. Jackson becomes the third member of the 1960 backfield to be inducted into the US Bank/NM State Hall of Fame – joining Pervis Atkins (Class of 1970) and Bob Gaiters (Class of 1976).
Alongside the pair of NFL-bound running backs, Jackson averaged over four yards per carry to rack up 400 rushing yards and six touchdowns. That season, he helped lead NM State to a berth in the 1960 Sun Bowl where the Aggies topped Utah State 20-13 in the 26th edition of one of the nation’s oldest bowls.
Jackson’s numbers only improved in his third season with the program as he tallied eight touchdowns and 691 rushing yards on 133 carries across 10 games in 1961. After averaging 5.2 yards per carry in his final collegiate season, Jackson finished his career averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per carry.
Following his storied career with the Aggies, Jackson was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 7th round of the 1962 NFL Draft. He would go on to play four seasons as a fullback in the NFL for the Chargers, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders. As a member of the Chargers’ 1963 team, Jackson helped the team to an AFL Championship as the Chargers dismantled the Boston Patriots 51-10.
Jackson appeared in 50 games during his professional career, picking up 624 yards on 184 carries while also scoring 14 rushing touchdowns. Additionally, Jackson caught 32 passes for 333 receiving yards and two touchdowns after catching just six passes during his career at NM State.
After working for 33 years at the California School for the Deaf, Jackson was retired and lived with his wife, Zeta, in Moreno Valley, California. He his also survived by two sons, Brandon and Bryan Jackson.
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